Violence and Memory in the Ethiopian Novel: Maaza Mengiste`s

Violence and Memory in the Ethiopian Novel: Maaza Mengiste's Beneath the Lion's Gaze a
Published on Department of Literature (http://literature.uonbi.ac.ke)
Violence and Memory in the Ethiopian Novel: Maaza
Mengiste's Beneath the Lion's Gaze and Dinaw
Mengestu's Children of the Revolution
Submitted by literature on Fri, 2014-07-04 09:56
Degree Programme: MASTER OF ARTS [1]
Student Names: Julius Kanyari Mwangi
Student Registration Number: C50/65491/2010
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Year of Study: 3
ABSTRACT
This study explores the themes of memory and violence in Maaza Mengiste’s Beneath the Lion’s
Gaze and Dinaw Mengestus Children of the Revolution. The theme of violence is discussed in the first
chapter while memory is discussed in the subsequent chapter. The study also adopts a gender
perspective to violence and memory, which constitutes my third chapter.
Therefore, the study employs theories of violence, memory and gender. Under the theme of
violence, the study is guided by the ideas of Lawrence, B. and Karim, Aisha (On Violence), Wole
Soyinka (Climate of Fear: The Quest for Dignity in a Dehumanized World), Achille Mbembe (On the
Postcolony), Antonio Gramsci (Selections from the Prison Notebooks), and Frantz Fanon (The
Wretched of the Earth). On the other hand, my analysis of the theme of memory is majorly guided by
the ideas of Felman (1992, 2006), Susan Gubary (2003), Godwin Siundu (2009) and Terrence Lyons
(2006). Lastly, my third chapter is guided by the ideas of Sara Suleri, with regard to African
feminism.
The study discusses violence as multi-directional. In as much as the military regimes mete violence
against the people, the latter responds through the use of available forms of violence. The study
therefore explores three different forms of violence including physical, psychological and symbolic.
Physical violence entails observable harm to internal or external organs of the characters’ bodies
while psychological violence refers to mental harm. As such violence leads various characters to
mental or psychological breakdown. Whereas both men and women are affected by the various
forms of violence, women seem to suffer most from these acts of violence aimed at total destruction
of revolting individuals or groups. However, women emerge victorious (they acquire position of
leadership both at the family, community and national levels) at the end of the two novels, as the
men are sent to prisons, incapacitated or even killed. The men on the other hand are emasculated as
they seek to affirm their identities as men.
Faced with these difficult experiences character employ memory to enhance or blur their vision and
mission in the two novels. On one hand, some characters are made better by what they remember,
while on the other some are destroyed by what they remember. In addition, the two authors recall
their past differently based on their genders. Therefore, this research is yielding with regard to the
study of the themes of violence, memory and gender in the Ethiopian literature.
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Academic Year: 2010/2011
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Violence and Memory in the Ethiopian Novel: Maaza Mengiste's Beneath the Lion's Gaze a
Published on Department of Literature (http://literature.uonbi.ac.ke)
Project Year: 2013
Project Status: completed
Project Supervisor: Dr. Godwin Siundu & Dr. Alina Rinkanya
Source URL: http://literature.uonbi.ac.ke/node/1244
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